Delhi airport ranks among top 10 busiest airports of 2023

Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport has been ranked as the tenth busiest airport in the world for the year 2023, dropping one spot from its previous ranking of 9th.

The report, released by Airports Council International (ACI) World, noted that in 2023, global passenger traffic reached nearly 8.5 billion, showcasing an increase of 27.2% from the last year and a recovery of 93.8% from pre-pandemic levels. 

International traffic recovery also accelerated, nearing domestic levels. This highlights the crucial role of international travel in driving the industry’s growth and revival. 

The surge in international passengers has been instrumental in revitalizing hubs that depend on this segment, according to the report, ultimately shaping the composition of the top 10 busiest airports by total passenger traffic.

Global air travel, however, was fuelled by several other factors apart from international travel. 

“Among these were the anticipated benefits from China’s reopening and a growing inclination towards travel despite macroeconomic conditions,” said Luis Felipe de Oliveira, director general at ACI World. 

“While perennial leaders from the US continue to dominate the top 10 busiest airports for passengers, notably Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport retaining its number one position, there are notable shifts,” he added.

The Dubai International Airport climbed up to the second place for the first time. The Tokyo Haneda International Airport was the biggest gainer, climbing to the top five from its 16th place last year. 

“Additionally, the unwavering strength of Istanbul and New Delhi airports keep them in top ranks, marking significant progress over 2019,” said Oliveira. 

Domestic traffic grew by 20.2% (recovering 96.8% of 2019 levels), while international traffic led the recovery with a 36.5% growth rate (reaching 90.4% of 2019 levels).

The top 10 busiest airports, representing nearly 10% of global traffic (806 million passengers), saw a 19.8% increase from 2022. This translates to a modest 0.7% gain compared to 2019 (801 million passengers).

Five out of the top ten airports are located in the US: Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Here is the full list of the world’s top 10 airports:

1. Atlanta, USA (ATL)

2. Dubai, UAE (DXB)

3. Dallas/Fort Worth, USA (DFW)

4. London, UK (LHR)

5. Tokyo, Japan (HND)

6. Denver, USA (DEN)

7. Istanbul, Turkey (IST)

8. Los Angeles, USA (LAX)

9. Chicago, USA (ORD)

10. New Delhi, India (DEL)